[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 98 (Monday, July 16, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1333]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2002

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. SAXBY CHAMBLISS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 12, 2001

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2330) making 
     appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
     Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 2002, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. Chairman, I fully support H.R. 2330, because it 
provides funding for programs that will help assure the vitality of 
agriculture in America and particularly in Georgia. This bill allocates 
funding for essential programs, which allow further development and 
progress in food production. In addition, H.R. 2330 provides financial 
support for agricultural research that is crucial for finding solutions 
that will allow and promote more cost-effective production methods and 
higher quality results.
  By allocating funding for research, this bill will help resolve 
problems inhibiting productivity and development. More specifically, 
research in pest and disease control, such as nematode and tomato 
spotted wilt disease research will enhance strategies used to combat 
crop yield losses. Also, funding is included for the development of 
more efficient agricultural water usage that is critical to locations 
in south Georgia where agricultural water usage comprises 50% of all 
water consumed. Furthermore, the bill includes funding for the 
improvement of cotton fiber quality. Funding is necessary for 
purchasing equipment that would be used in developing a research cotton 
micro gin for evaluation of cotton fiber in Georgia. Also, funding for 
pecan scab research is important to explore diseases that limit and 
inhibit pecan production.
  Support for these research efforts, coupled with funding for 
promotional and marketing efforts, will help enable farmers to practice 
more efficient methods and minimize the devastating losses with which 
they have become all too familiar. I urge my colleagues to vote for 
this bill and support American Agriculture.

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